Introduction - doe-std-1128-98

DOE-STD-1128-98

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INTRODUCTION

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PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY

This Technical Standard (TS) does not contain any new requirements. Its purpose is

to provide guides to good practice, update existing reference material, and discuss

practical lessons learned relevant to the safe handling of plutonium. The technical

rationale is given to allow U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) health physicists to

adapt the recommendations to similar situations throughout the DOE complex.

Generally, DOE contractor health physicists will be responsible to implement

radiation protection activities at DOE facilities and DOE health physicists will be

responsible for oversight of those activities. This guidance is meant to be useful for

both efforts. The TS provides information to assist plutonium facilities in complying

with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 835, Occupational

Radiation Protection (DOE, 1998a); hereinafter referred to as 10 CFR 835. The TS

also supplements the DOE Implementation Guides (IGs), DOE Orders, and DOE's

standard Radiological Control , Ch. 1. (DOE, 2004) and has as its sole purpose the

protection of workers and the public from the radiological hazards that are inherent in

plutonium storage and handling. This Standard does not include every requirement

applicable to every plutonium facility. Individuals responsible for implementing

Radiation Protection Programs at plutonium facilities need to be knowledgeable of

which requirements (contractual or regulatory) are applicable to their facility.

This TS replaces PNL-6534, Health Physics Manual of Good Practices for Plutonium

Facilities (PNL, 1988) by providing more complete and current information and by

emphasizing the situations that are typical of DOE's current plutonium operations;

safe storage, decontamination, and decommissioning (environmental restoration); and

weapons disassembly.

The technical information presented here represents the best technical information

available from within the DOE complex. Except to the extent that the guidance

presented here duplicates mandatory regulations or contract requirements, it is not

binding or mandatory. Any DOE Orders, manuals or guides, referred to in this TS are

not binding unless they have been incorporated into the applicable contract to assist

in identifying applicable requirements "shall" statements are followed by a reference.

Should and my statements are provided for consideration. However, judicious use of

this TS, along with the regulatory documents discussed above, will help assure a

comprehensive and technically defensible radiological protection program.

Regulatory guidance and references are current as of May 2003.

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